Arsenal's Chilean contract rebel is looking for assurances from the Premier League leaders about how much they covet him after City's plan to wait until the summer to take him away from Arsenal for free opened the door for rivals United to make their move.

Sanchez wants to escape the Emirates this month after seeing the Gunners pull out of a £60million deadline-day deal that would have taken him to the Etihad in the summer.

But when City's sporting director Txiki Begiristain told him they wanted to put the move on ice until the end of the season, United made their move to gazump their fierce rivals.

Now he is looking for Guardiola to show him the love after United made it clear that Arsenal's £35million asking price and a financial package that would take the deal beyond £120million is not a deal breaker.

Sanchez has been desperate to join City (Image: Getty Images Europe)

But Guardiola must prove to the Chilean that he wants him (Image: Getty)

Read More

Those figures are too rich for City – even though the knee injury suffered by Gabriel Jesus over Christmas has seen them ramp up their efforts to bring the 29-year-old north this month.

Sanchez has made it clear for the last 12 months that he wants to link up against with his former Barcelona coach Guardiola.

But the pressure is now on the Catalan to make a personal intervention as the threat of losing the player to Jose Mourinho grows.

A City source: “United are willing to pay more but the belief is that Sanchez would prefer a move to City for professional reasons.

“The deal that's been proposed is too expensive when the fee Arsenal are demanding is included.

“It might be a case that Guardiola will need to convince the player how much he is wanted, be it this month or at the end of the season.”

Manchester United are ready to pay for the 29-year-old (Image: Arsenal FC)

Guardiola tried – and failed – to step in when Brazilian defender Dani Alves reneged on an agreement to move to the Etihad last year after getting a better offer from Paris Saint Germain.

The belief is that an appeal to Sanchez would be successful.

City feel a deal with Arsenal can still be negotiated if Sanchez makes it clear to Emirates bosses that he views a move to the Etihad as his only option.

Could Sanchez go to United with Jose Mourinho? (Image: Getty Images Europe)

The Blues are willing to make Sanchez the club's highest-paid player with a deal worth £300,000-a-week - and the opportunity to cash in on an array of success-related bonuses. Sergio Aguero currently tops the Etihad pay-charts on £250,000-a-week.

And City are unwilling to break a pay structure that has been put in place over the past two years to rein in spending.

Sanchez's advisers are also looking for a £15million signing-on bonus in the belief that Arsenal's £35million asking price is not excessive for one of the world's elite players.

City are willing to offer £20million plus another £5million in add-ons – and have made it clear they are not ready to go head-to-head financially with United for a player who is out of contract in the summer.